The history of the holidays gets an all-new reimagining in "A Boy Called Christmas."
The family film centers on the origin story of Father Christmas, with a boy named Nikolas
embarking on an extraordinary adventure to find his father, a fabled village, and his
own destiny.
Here's a look at everything you need to know about this touching holiday tale, coming to
Netflix in select territories November 24th.
The cast of "A Boy Called Christmas" is full of some of the most established actors in
the business, but the boy at the center of the action, Henry Lawfull, is a true star
on the rise.
Lawfull was among many who auditioned for the role of Nikolas, but as producer Graham
Broadbent explained: "We all went, 'He's got a great look, with
his red hair and innocent eyes, and something rather beautiful about him."
Though they still saw other actors for the part, Lawfull was always their top choice.
Starring as Nikolas' doting father, Joel, is Michiel Huisman, who audiences undoubtedly
know for his work in titles like "The Haunting of Hill House," "The Invitation," "The Age
of Adaline," and "Irreplaceable You."
And that's just the start of the A-list call sheet that "A Boy Called Christmas" boasts.
The hilarious Kristen Wiig also stars in the film as Aunt Carlotta.
Wiig needs no introduction, and you've certainly seen her in movies like "Bridesmaids" and
"Wonder Woman 1984."
Stephen Merchant lends his vocals to the role of the mouse Miika.
"You can talk."
"And I can fly as well.
No, just kidding.
No mice can fly.
That would be absurd."
Though he's a renowned producer, fans are likely to know Merchant from his screenwork
in pictures like "Jojo Rabbit" and "Logan."
Audiences will no doubt recognize actor Jim Broadbent in the role of the king, thanks
to his Oscar-winning role in "Iris," as well as his standout work in movies like "Harry
Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," and "The Iron Lady," just to name a few.
Emmy-nominated actor Toby Jones portrays Father Topo.
He's known for his turns in "The Hunger Games" series, "Captain America: The First Avenger,"
and the blistering 2007 adaptation of Stephen King's "The Mist."
And two-time Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins lends her talents to the film as Mother Vodol, the
ruler of Elfhelm.
Hawkins is known for her celebrated work in pics like "Blue Jasmine" and "The Shape of
Water."
As if all that wasn't enough star power for one film, "A Boy Called Christmas" also features
Dame Maggie Smith as Aunt Ruth, the woman who regales us all with the story of Nikolas.
Smith is one of film's finest treasures, having won two Oscars for her work in "The Prime
of Miss Jean Brodie" and "California Suite" and netting four additional nominations over
the years.
Audiences may also know Smith for "Downton Abbey" or as the unconquerable Minerva McGonagall
in the "Harry Potter" film series.
"A Boy Called Christmas" is directed by Gil Kenan, who was previously nominated for an
Oscar for his work on the animated film "Monster House" and is also known for his work on "City
of Ember" and 2015's "Poltergeist."
Kenan opened up about why he was drawn to the story of "A Boy Called Christmas," saying:
"What I was excited about was doing justice to that breadth of theme, and capturing the
human experience, on the back of a holiday that we can take for granted."
Kenan had a distinct vision for how to bring the fabled town of Elfhelm to life, saying,
"The only way that I could believe that Elfhelm was actually out there was by grounding the
journey and the photography in the natural world."
He chose to locate the shoot for "A Boy Called Christmas" right on "the edge" of the actual
Arctic Circle for authenticity's sake.
The script for "A Boy Called Christmas" was adapted from Matt Haig's bestselling 2015
novel by Kenan and screenwriter Ol Parker, who first had the idea of framing the film
inside Aunt Ruth's story.
And producer Graham Broadbent was particularly eager to bring this adaptation to screen life
because of how grounded in reality Matt Haig's fantastic tale manages to be.
As Broadbent explained, "I think the most interesting stories are
ones where there's a true emotional journey.
And that often involves some sadness.
And the joy is all the better because you've experienced the sadness too.
There is something universal in that."
The filmmakers and cast certainly seem to agree.
Stephen Merchant teased that audiences can expect both action and emotion, while Jim
Broadbent praised the story for being a multi-faceted Christmas film full of imagination.
"No idea what this Christmas thing is, but I love it."
Prepare to get into the spirit of the holidays in a big way when "A Boy Called Christmas"
arrives on Netflix this November.
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